After 13 years of sponsorship, Audi has decided to end its collaboration with soccer club FC Barcelona, leaving room for another automotive brand to step in.
Now, it’s been reported that Cupra, another VW Group brand, is the prime candidate to become the club’s new automotive sponsor. According to Periodisimo Del Motor, the Seat sub-brand is actually in advanced negotiations with Barca, and their collaboration will go beyond a mere transfer of cars to the club’s players.
As for why Audi decided to pull out of this deal in the first place, apparently the German automaker grew tired of seeing FC Barcelona players showing up for training and matches in cars that weren’t the ones provided to them by the club.
While the figure that Cupra will be paying for this deal remains unknown, it is still thought to be somewhere in the vicinity of 5 million euros ($5.5 million), which is what Audi used to pay on a yearly bases.
Also read: Seat Launches Cupra Brand With A 300 PS Ateca SUV
It remains to be seen whether or not the club’s players will feel more comfortable daily driving the likes of the Cupra Ateca, Leon Cupra R or the upcoming Cupra Formentor. What’s more likely though is the Spanish automaker being more comfortable than Audi with seeing the players show up in different cars from time to time – soccer stars do like their Bentleys, Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
Whether the deal goes through or not, it’s understandable why two massive Spanish brands would be interested in working together.
H/T to Hugo
